Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tool magazine.
Discussion of the Background
Conventionally, when machine tools such as machining centers perform different kinds of processing using different tools, the tool attached to the spindle is replaced with another tool. Also in such cases as where the tool is damaged during ongoing processing, it is necessary to replace the tool with a new tool.
Such machine tool includes, for example, a tool magazine that stores different types of tools; a transfer mechanism that performs transfer operations of taking out a tool from the tool magazine or of storing a tool in the tool magazine; and an automatic tool changer (ATC) that receives the tool from the transfer mechanism and attaches/detaches the tool to/from the spindle.
As a tool magazine applied to the above-described machine tool, there is a tool magazine that includes, for example, a pair of shelves that are disposed to face each other and provided with a plurality of notches for storing tools; and a handling apparatus that includes a gripper device that holds and transfers the tool. The tool magazine enables the handling apparatus to cause its gripper device to access the notches on the shelves (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-047000).